Loose-leaf binder clamp



uw 16, 1941. B, OSBORN 21,266,472 v LoQsELEAF' BINDER CLAMP v Filed May 28, 1940 y ;T- E 1.1:4 INVENTOR. "1) Baldwin Osborn.

Patented Dec. 16, 1941 'OFFICE Y' Lo osELEAF; BINDER: oLAMP- Baldwin Osborn, c1tqn,.N'..I. Application May 28, 1940, seriammfssmsso y 6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements inclamping devices adapted for use in conjunction with loose leaf binders.

An object of the invention isto provide Van elastic clamping plate of metal or of-'su'ch materialas will resiliently retain a pre-formed shapefor the purpose of holding loose leafv sheets inY aring binder in such position that they will not bulge, curl-'or teari out when the binder" is repeatedly opened and closed. A fur-ther object is to provide a spring clamping device which is adapted for use With simpleA forms of ring binders to the end' that it may be used with conventional ring binders not equipped' with specialY sheet clamping devices, and to the further end that the utility of such simple ring binders will be greatlyv increased.

Further objects Willbe apparent from a reading of the annexed specification and claims, together with the Vaccompanying draw-ing', in which: y

Fig. 1 is an end view in section of a-conventional ring binder; i

Fig. 2 is an end View of a conventional"ringV binder with my clamping plates installed, the binder being shown in the closed position;

Fig. 3 is a View of a ring binder With the clamps installed'shown in the open position;

Fig. 4 is a plan of the clamping plate; and

Fig. 5 is an end section through one of the clamping plates.

As will be noted in Fig. 1, a conventional ring binder comprising cover boards I0 hinged to a back II is provided with split rings I2 which, as is well known in the art, may be snapped open and shut to receive suitably perforated filler sheets. As will be noted 'at I3 and I4, the end sheets of the filler pack tend to ride around the addition, they do not have any particular" effect in clamping the loose lea-f sheets' :closely together when the binder is closed and they, along with` outer sheets `of paper in -thefbinden tend' to ride around 4'the ringsl lafter the mannerof Fig. 1. Further proposals for correcting the 'outlinedproblem consist in set mechanisms built into the binder clamp, which add complications and cost to the binder and; make same relativelycumbersome to use.

My `Schl-tion for the problem, though extremely simple, has been found to be entirely eieotive,

the invention consisting essentially Yof a spr-ing pla-te lH-*ha-vin-f.; perforations I1 through which the 'binder rings mayb'epassed, the plate being pre-formed', as 4shown' in Fig, A5, so vthatv itis curved in section `as at Iii, the edge of the plate opposite the ring holes I1 being oppositelycurv'ed as at I9 `to provide a skidv'which may slidealong 2u the binder cover 'as' the binder isA opened and rings when the binder is closed, so that they are curled at the ends and are strained upon repeated use of the binder so that the perforations pull out and the sheets become loose. Furthermore, Whether or not the binder is completely filled With sheets, the end sheets will curl and tear and will tend to climb around the rings I2 so that the covers of the binder may not be rmly closed. There have been various proposals made to alleviate this troublesome condition which is Well known to all users of ring binders. Among intended solutions for the problem are fiber board end sheets of greater stiiiness than the ller paper which are intended to reinforce the paper and to ride around the rings as the binder is closed. These are only partly and temporarily eiective, for these boards do not prevent straining of the paper, and gradually take up a permanent set which renders them useless. In

clesedf. The inner edges of the binder holes I1., indicatedf'a-t v2l), are solspa'c'ed fromthe 4'edge 2l' of 'theplate' that they will bea-r upon the. l

outerlperipheral surfaces oi the rings Ilz-Whenthebinder'is closed, to prevent undue inward movement of the plateY 'and the curvature f8 or the plate Will cause the outer plate edge I9 to bear `upon the binder cover I0 and the inner plate edge 2| to bear on the ring inner surface or ring mechanism 24 whereby the filler sheets 23 in the binder are securely clamped against one another and are completely prevented from riding around the rings, as would occur Without the use of the plates I6. As is shown, one plate I6 is used on each side of the filler sheets 23. When the binder is open at any location in the pack of filler sheets 23, the plates I6 will freely open with the pack and Will rest upon the binder covers I0, as shown in Fig. 3. Due to the resilience of the plates I6, the open sheets may be pressed flat for writing upon the ller sheets. As the binder is closed, the edge 2| of the plate I6 will first bear upon the ring retaining mechanism 24 of the binder and, by the action of closing the cover I0, the plate Will be swung about the edge 2l as a fulcrum carrying the sheets 23 with it until the edge 2| engages the inner surfacev of the ring I2 to firmly clamp the sheets. In producing these plates I prefer to out them or stamp them from thin sheet spring steel of about .012 inch thickness, then punch the ring holes I1, and then deform the initially flat sheets to secure the curvatures I8 and I9 above indicated. It will be apparent that the plates may be made in sizes and shapes appropriate to any size and shape of loose leaf ring binder, and it is also apparent that the plates can be fabricated at low cost. They will, no doubt, be slightly more expensive than the conventional fiber board end plates for ring binders but their life will be innite as compared with the extremely short life of the fiber board plates whose initial utility is greatly inferior to the subject spring plates. Furthermore, the plates of this invention are fully as effective as more complex devices intended to accomplish the same purpose which may be built into the binder proper, and obviously are more simply and easily fabricated than built in appurtenances in ring binders.

While I have described my invention in detail in its present preferred embodiment, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art, after. understanding my invention, that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope thereof.V Laimb in the appended claims to cover all such Vmodifications and changes.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a loose leaf binder, rings Vto hold a plurality of leaves, covers hinged to the rings, follower plates disposed between the covers and the outermost leaves adapted to support the leaves as the binder is opened and closed, said follower plates each having openings engaged by the binder rings and having an inner edge bearing upon the inner surfaces of the rings, an outer edge bearing upon a binder cover, and edges of the binder ring holes bearing upon outer surfaces of the binder rings, said follower plates comprising resilient metallic elements preformed to a curved shape whose convex curved portions, when the binderis closed, press against theleaves in the binder holding them centrally between the binder covers.

2. In a loose leaf binder, covers andrings hinged thereto to retain a plurality of leaves, a curved sheet of spring material having perforations engaged by the binder rings and so disposed that its edges bear upon the binder rings and upon the cover and its convex curved part engages the leaves, the concave part of the sheet facing the adjacent cover.

3. In a ring type loose leaf binder, a resilient follower plate between the inner surface of the binder cover and the outer leaves in the binder Ymetal follower plate the perforations of which 'are engaged loosely by the binder rings, said plate beingtransversely curved so as to rest at one edge upon the binder rings and at its other edge upon the binder cover, the portion between said edges being the curved portion of the plate disposed with its concavesurface facing an adjacent binder cover inner surface, the convex portion of said plate bearing upon ller leaves between the binder covers and held by the binder rings.

5. YA ring binder assembly comprising a back strip ,having rings, covers hinged to the back strip, spring follower plates articulated to and slidable upon the rings and extending one along each of the cover surfaces, the outer edges of said follower plates resting onand being slidable along the respective cover surfaces, said plates being curved in section with their concave sides facing their adjacent covers and with their convex sides facing one another, whereby to clamp filler sheets engaged by the rings between the v convex portions of said plates as the binder is closed.

6. In a ring type binder, a resilient curved follower plate engaged by the binder rings, said plate engaging the binder leaves at a convex curved part of the plate and engaging the cover of the binder at another portion of the plate which is spaced from the rings and from said curved part.

v BALDWIN OSBORN. 

